Clothing display and sales cabinet



' June 23, "192-5.

M. BERNHEIM CLOTHING DISPLAY AND SALES CABINET Filed June 8, 1922 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 DRIVE Y5 M. BERNHEIM CLOTHING DISPLAY AND SALES CABINET June 23, 1925.

4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Julie 8. 1922 INVENTOR ATTORNEYS June 23, 1925.

- M. BERNHEIM CLOTHING DISPLAY AND SALES CABINET 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed June 8, 1922 a: db

BY W ATTORNEYS Patented June 2 3, 1925.

PATENT, OFFICE.

MATTHEW BERNHEIMI, OF NEW YORK, N.

CLOTHING DISPLAY AND SALES CABINET.

Application filed ,Tune 8, 1922. Serial No. 566,714.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MATTHEW BERN- HEIM, a citizen of-the United States, and resident of New York city, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clothing Display and Sales Gabinets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a store display and sales apparatus and more particularly to an apparatus for stocking clothing in uantity and exhibiting the same for sale, t e apparatus being operable to bring into view garments of a selected character for inspection and handling.

A prime desideratum of my present invention comprehends the provision of a store exhibiting and sales apparatus for clothing or the like especially constructed and adapted to permit a customer or prospective purchaser to operate the same for inspecting, handling and selecting his own clothing with facility from a large stock, whereby the same may be sold on the selfservice plan. It is well known that although the cost of production of ready made clothing has been substantially reduced in recent years by reason of increased production efliciency 1n the clothing manufactory, yet the selling price of clothing is considerably out of proportion to the actual cost of production thereof. It is also known that a large component of the present selling price of clothing is derived from the cost and expense of distribution and selling, present methods of selling clothing being ineflicient and wasteful. The apparatus of the present invention has been designed with a view to eliminate inefficiency and waste in the selling of clothing and to effect thereby a considerable reduction in the selling price of the same, the invention comprehending the provision of apparatus which may be successfully operated by a salesman or a customer himself in the selecting of the desired quality, style and size of a garment from a large su ply or stock without the help of a large selling force and without the necessity of providing expansive store space for handling a large stock of merchandise.

The principal objects of the invention may be said to include, besides the provision of a display and sales apparatus of the nature referred to, the provision of an apparatus for stocking a large supply or quantitiy1 garments in a small store space in whic an endless conveyor is employed for utilizing vertical store space, the said conveyor being adapted to be operated for bringing into views garments of a selected character; the

further provision of an apparatus of this nature operable for indicating the character of garments moving past a display or sales station and adapted to becontrolled by an operator for setting the same to cause automatic stopping of the conveyor with a selected line of garments brought to said display station for removal for purposes of inspection and handling; the further pro. vision of an apparatus of this nature in which the apparatus may be started and stopped by an unskilled person in a very' easy manner; the further provision of a dis play and sales apparatus in which the parts are operated in an efficient manner to reduce the liability of mishandling and damaging the garments in the operation of the apparatus, and the, still' further provision of apparatus of the kind referred to in which, after a garment is removed by a'customer, replacement of the garment proper position is necessitated, the-kappa ratus being so constructed as to prevent improper replacement of garments, the whole combining to produce a store service apparatus which may be operated with facility, economy, convenience and efliciency.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and such other objects as may hereinafter appear, my invention consists in the elements and their relation one to the other,

'as hereinafter particularly described and sought to be defined in the claims, reference being had to the accompanying drawings which show'a preferred embodiment of my invention, and in which:

Flg. 1 is a cross-sectional elevational view of my display and sales apparatus with parts broken away to show the interior constructlon,

Fig. 2 is a plan view thereof with parts Broken away and other parts shown in see- Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view in crosssection showing the manner of mounting the carrier or supportingrods on the conveyor,

Fig. 4 is a view of a detail,

Figs. 5 to 8 are views of cooperative means for effecting the selective reception of the ried by theconveyor.

and 'spaced thereon garment supporting means by the conveyor P Figs. 9 and 10 are front elevational and cross-sectional views respective] of the means for controlling the operation of the conveyor,

Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional on the line 1111, Fig. 10,

Fig.- 12 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 12-12, Fig. 10, and

v.Fig. 13 is a view of the conveyor apparatus taken on the line 13-13, Fig. 1. i To accomplish the various objects of my invention, a clothing store is provided with a plurality of exhibiting and selling apparatuses each preferably comprising a showcase or cabinet embodying the principles of my invention. In the drawings I show one of such cabinets, and referring to the drawings such cabinet preferably comprises a housing A, a clothing conveyor B, an operating means 0 therefor housed thereby, and a control means D mounted exterior to the housing and adapted. for indicating the movement of the conveyor and for being selectively controlled by a salesman or a prospective purchaser for operating the conview taken veyor 1n accordance with the needs of service.

The housing A preferably comprises a casing having a front wall 10, a rear wall 11, a top wall 12, and the side walls 13 and 14, the front walllO being provided with a door such as the slidable door 15 movable over a display and sales opening 16, the door be-,

mg shown in its ascended or opened position for disclosing the merchandise display car- The casing is preferably made of any suitable fire-proof material so that each clothing case and compartfire-proof and burglar- The conveyor B of my invention is housed by the cas' g A, and comprises an endless carrier constructed for removably receiving supporting means carrying merchandise such as mens garments, and constructed for conveying the same in an eflicient manner to and past the display or sales opening .16. In the preferred construction the conveyor includes the two spaced endless chains 17 and 18 and a plurality of garment support ing bars or rods 19 carried by the chains at :suitable distances apart to permit freedom of movement of garments carried -by the rods. The endless carrier chains 17 and 18 are mounted so as ave a rectangular path of movement, as clearly shown for example in Fig. 1 of the drawings, and in order to secure a balanced.

arrangement with the garments on one side of th the rods 19 are so spacedly arranged on the carrier chains that when a rod is turning a corner of the ment, and the rods 19 are e conveyor effectively balancing thei garments on the other side,

detail hereinafter; and for the purpose of preventing any tendency hangers to rotate on the such tendency-resulting in causing the garments to oscillate or swing on the rods, resulting in the throwing of garments 'from the carrier, I have found it very desirable to mount the rods in the chains so that the former do not rotate relatively to the garment hangers. To these ends the rods 19' are rotatably mounted in the carrier chains .17 and 18 and are furthermore so mounted therein that the axes ofthe rods 19 lie in the plane of movement of the carrier chains, this to the end of obtaining a construction in which the full weight of the garments carried by the rods will be exerted upon the chain in the plane thereof, twisting breaking of the chain links under the influence of the heavy load of garments thereon being minimized and largely prevented. Referring now articular y to Fig. 3 of the drawings, I s ow the manner of mountin a rod such as 19 on the chain links of the of these garment supporting rods,

chain 18 to effect the desired results. Fixed Y to each end of rod 19 I- position on the rod as by means of a screw 21, the said sleevereceivmg a spindle 22 provided preferably with a ball bearing 23, with the construction such that the rod 19 is freely rotatable on the spindle 22, the said sleeve being held on the spindle against endwise movement as by means of a washer 24 secured to the spindle 22. Thespindle 22 is provided with preferably integral means attachable to the chain links 18 and in the preferred construction the said spindle is provided with the spaced cheek plates 25 and 26, the latter being attachable to the former as by means of or more screws 27, the cheekplate 25 being i 7' provided with an integral tapped stud portion 28, the construction being such that the chain links 18 are received between the cheek plates and the stud and are retained in position by means of a plate 29 securedto the stud by means of means, the spindle is fixedly attached to the chain links with the weight sustained. by the spindle exerted in the hne of chain move rotatably mounted on the spindle and are rotatable relatively to the chain links, so that of the chain links relatively to the garment hangers changes in the operation of the ma-, chine, the relative positions of the rods will not change and the rods will rotate relatively to the garment hangers.

For driving the chains 17 and 18 there while the position a the screw 30. By this 1 are provided two sets of spaced sprocket sprocket wheels arranged to effect the recwheels 31 and 32, each set comprising four bers attached to the chain 18, each offlthe said members having a construction similar to the means carried by the spindle 22 heretofore described, and each including spaced cheek plates 25 and 26, and an intermediate concaved tooth member 34, the latter contoured to be fittingly received by the pockets 33 of the sprockets, and the cheek plates being so spacedly arranged as to straddle the sprocket wheel, this so that a maximum pull may be exerted upon the chain and so that endwise playof the toothmembers, the sprocket chains and the rods carried thereby will be 'minimized. Each of these tooth members is also provided with a stud portion 28 received between the connecting rivets and links of the chain 18 (see Fig. 4) and retained on the, chain by means of the lock plate 29 and screw 30.

For supporting the carrier chains and rods, I provide a suitably braced angle iron framework including the vertically arranged sets of spaced angle irons 35 and 36 .suitably braced by cross angle irons such as 37. Carried by sets of angle pieces 38 and 39 which are attached to the sets of angle pieces 35 and 36 are lower cross bars 40 and 41 rspectively which carry the lower sprocket wheels 32 and 31, the bars 40 and 41 bein preferably adjustably mounted on the ang e pieces foradjustingfor the length of the chains trained over the sprocket wheels; and to this end the bars 40 and 41 are provided at each end with spaced bolts such as 42 received byand movable in the elongated recesses such as 43 in the angle irons, and for locking the bars 40 and 41 in any adjusted position there are provided the set screws 44 adjustably and lockably anchored in the threaded sleeves 45 fixedly attached to the angle pieces, the shank of the said screws abutting against the bars 40 and 41, as clearly shown for example in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The angle ieces 38 and 39 also carry the upper sets 0 bars 46 and 47, the latter being preferably fixedly attached to the angle pieces so that the upper sprocket wheels 31 and 32 are fixedly carried by the framework. The sprocket wheels 31 and 32 are journalled in any suitable manner in the spaced bars ,40, 41, 46 and47, the preferred manner of journalling each sprocket wheel. including the provision of a shaft such as 48 rotatable in a sleeve 49 fixed in turn on a bar such as' 40 or 41.

I have found that in the operation of conveyors of the type herein described, that in movement of the chain carriers there is a tendency for the coats to swing or oscillate, causing the garments to be thrown from the rods and damaged. I have further found that when the chains,-especially the vertical runs thereof, are guided 'to prevent lateral swaying and longitudinal movement of the bars (as well as the rotative. movement thereof), the oscillation of the garments and the. throwing of the same is largely eliminated. To these ends I provide longitudinal guide means running substantially the full vertical length of the chain runs, so constructed as to guide the chains longitudinally and prevent the lateral and axial movement of the bars. For guiding the rods there are provided the spaced angle irons 50, 51, 52 and 53 (see for example Figs. 1, 3 and 13 of the drawings), a wall of each angle iron receiving the cheek plates 25" and 26' of the tooth members carried by the chains, and receiving the cheek plates 25 and 26 carried on each endof the rods 19, the cooperation bea cheek plates of the rod end pieces and members are confined for movement in the angle pieces 50 to 53, lateral movement of the rods being thereby furthermore prevented. The angle pieces 50 to 53 may be supported on the sets of angle pieces 35 and 36 as by means of the spaced yoke elements 54.

For the purpose of concealing the operating mechanism and preventing interference of the same with the garments, the cabinet is provided with partitions subdividing the same into a garment compartment and two side compartments for. housing the operating elements. To this end, referring for example to Figs. 1 to 13 of the drawings, each side of the cabinet is provided with an inner panel 55 and a panel 56 surrounding the said inner panel, the said panels being secured to the interior framework of the apparatus, the construction being such that only sufficient clearance is left between a central panel and the surrounding panels to permit movement of the carrier chains and the tooth elements carried thereby.

For operating the carrierchains 17 and 18, I preferably provide-means connected 'to both the chains for effecting synchronous operation thereof, said means including the motor 57 housed by the cabinet and loosely coupled by means of the coupling member 58 to a drive shaft 59 provided with a worm maintained same.

' prospective customer,

60 (see Fig. 1) meshing with a worm wheel 61 fixed to a transverse shaft 62,'the latter being connected for driving a sprocket wheel of each set 31 and 32. For driving one of the sprocket wheels 31 the shaft 62 is provided with a sprocket 63 over which is trained a sprocket chain 64,movable over an opposed sprocket 65, the latter fixed to the shaft 48 carrying a sprocket wheel 31. For driving an opposed sprocket wheel 32, there is provided the transverse operating shaft 66 coupled to the shaft '62 by means of the loose coupling member 67, the transverse shaft 66 being provided with a sprocket wheel 68 over chain 69, the latter movable over a sprocket 70 carried by the shaft-of one wheels 32, as clearly shown in Figs.- 2 and 13 of the drawings. For tensioning each of the sprocket chains 64 and 69, there may be provided tensioning means such as a tensioning device 71 suitably anchored. to the framework of the machine. When the'motor 57 is energized, the carrier chains 17 and 18 will be synchronously moved with the rods 19 in horizontal position during conveyor movement, each carrier chain being directly geared for synchronized movement to the driving elements.

As heretofore mentioned, one of the objectsof the invention comprehends the provision of store display and sales apparatus which may be operated in a simple manner by an unskilled person, as for example a the construction being such that the customer may start operation of the conveyor in a simple manner to obtain a display of the stock of garments on the conveyor; so that the customer may be furthermore advised by an character of garments, such as the quality, size or style ofgarments passing the display window; and so that the customer may furthermore cause the conveyor to stop with a selected character or line of garments positioned at the display or sales station, so that he may remove the garment for ins ection' and handling preparatory to purchasing the To these ends I provide the mechanism D arranged on the outside of the cabinet, the said control mechanismbeing constructed for indicating the osition of the carrier and for being manual y set to stop the carrier with a selected line of garments at the displ riedbythe conveyor may be sorted according to style, quality or size, and in the present disclosures I show the grouping or assortment of the garments in accordance with the sizes thereof, the carrier including six spaced rods 19 for receiving garments of six different sizes, each rod carrying garments of a given size. The indicating and controllingwhich is trained a sprocket of the sprocket .of a worm wheel so that large and expensive sales forcesmay be done away with,

indicating mechanism as to the control.

ay opening. The garments car-' mechanism of my invention comprises the dial mechanism D 72 fixedly'attached preferably to the front wall 10 of the cabinet, and a movable pointer and handle 73, the said dial plate being pro- Wided with a plurality, as for example 6, of indications 74 of sizes of garments ranging for example from size 34 to 40, as clearly shown in Figs. 2 and 9 of the drawings. The pointer and handle 73, as will be presently described, is arranged for movement with the carrier chains so as tion of the rods thereon, and is furthermore arranged to be manually manipulable for setting the carrier to be, automatically stopped with a given rodand therefore with a given size of display window.

For effecting the desired movement and regulation of the handle and pointer 73, I provide a switch mechanism controllable to make .andbreak a circuit including the operating motor 57 for starting and stopping the conveyor at will. Referring now to Figs. 9 to 12 of the drawings, the said switch mechanism includes a plate 75 made of insulating material fixed to a nalled in a casin 77 and rotated by means %8 pinned to the shaft and a worm 79 meshing with the p the worm'79 being fixed to a shaft 80, the latter carrying a sprocket wheel 81 over which is trained a sprocket chain 82, the sprocket chain being movable over an opposedly positioned sprocket wheel 83 (see Figs. 1, 2 and 13) fixed toa shaft 48 of one of the conveyor sprockets 32. The insulatworm wheel 78,

to indicate the-post shaft 76 jour including the-dial plate ing plate 7 5is therefore synchronously movable with the carrier chains and rods, and the construction is such that a complete cycle of movement, that is, a full rotation of the plate 75, is obtained during a complete cycle of movement or a complete rotation of'the carrier chains 17- and 18.

The switch mechanism further includes an insulating plate 84 fixed on a shaft 85 which fixedly carries the combined handle and pointer 73, the shaft 85 being journalled in a front plate 86 of the casing 77 and in a countersunk portion 87 provided in an end of the shaft 76, the shaft 85 being provided portion 88 receivable with a reduced stud by and rotatable in the countersink 87.

- The switch plates 7 5t and 84 are provided with cooperative contact mechanism ar ranged for effecting the makin and breaking of the circuit controlling the motor 57. The contact plate 75 to this end is provided on its rear face with the two concentric rings 89 and 90 provided with carbon brush elements 91 and 92 electrically connected to the contact rings bymeans of the brush housings 93and 94 and the spring elements. resiliently ur g thesaid brushes towards the switch p ate 84, and cooperating with the contact rings 89 and 90 there is provided the stationary brush elements 95 and 96 insulatably' mounted on the casing 77, the said brush elements 95 and 96 being connected to power lines by way of the conductors 97 and 98.

The switch plate 84 is provided On its rear face with concentrically arranged arcuate segments 99 and 100 arranged so as to be movable over the brushes 91 and 92 of the switch plate 75, and arranged on the front face of the switch plate 84 there are provided the concentric rings 101 and 102 electrically connected to the arcuate segments 99 a and 100, and cooperating with the rings 101 and 102 I provide the brush elements 103 and 104 insulatably mounted on the front plate 86 of the casing, the said brush elements 103 and 104 being connected to the motor 57 by way of the conductors 105 and 106. The arcuate segments 99 and 100, as.

clearly appears from Figs. 9, 10 and 12 of the drawings, are cut away over a small angle, and it will be apparent from this construction that when the brushes 91 and 92 of the switch plate 75 are positioned over the cut-away portion of the segments 99 and 100, that the motor is disconnected from the power lines, and that when the switch plates 5 and 84 are so relatively positioned thatthe brush elements 91 and 92 ride over and contact with the arcuate segments 99 and 100, that the motor is connected across the power lines, the circuit being closed for driving the motor and operating the conveyor mechanism.

For effecting the desired cooperation for starting and stopping the apparatus endindicatingthe position of the parts, the switch plate 75 is provided with a peripheral band 107 provided with a. projection or pin 108 extending beyond the front face of the switch plate and located in a position diametrically opposite the brush elements 91 and 92, and the switch plate 84 is alsoprovided with a peripheral band 109, the latter provided with stop and cam pieces 110 and' 111 arra for cooperation with the pin 108, the distance between the stop and cam pieces 110 and 111 being somewhat greater than the angular distance between the ends 112 and 113 of the arcuate segments 99 and,

100, the said cam pieces 110 and 111 being positioned diametrically opposite the said ends 113 and 112 respectively, as clearly shown in Fig. 12 of the drawlngs. With this construction, it will be evident that with the brushes 91 and 92 out of contact with the arcuate segments 99 and 100 and with the machine stationary, that when the handle 73 is engaged by asalesman or customer and rotated in a clockwise direction as viewed in Fig. 9, that the arcuate segments 99 and 100 will be caused to move over the brushes 91 and 92, closing thecircuit of the motor and causing operation of the conveyor and rotation of the switch plate 75. In the rotation of the said plate 75, the pin 108 will engage the cam piece 110, and if the switch plate 84' is not locked in position, the engagement will cause the switch late 84 to, move along with the switch plate 5, and the circuit to the motor will be maintained closed so that the conveyor continues its When the conveyor is desired to be stopped or to be set for being automatically stopped with a selected line of garments at the display station, the switch plate 84 is locked so as to be immovable with respect to the dial plate 72; and to this end the handle and pointer 73 is provided with a rockable arm 114 journalled in the pointer 73, the said arm being provided with abutton 115 having a pin 116 slidable in a bore 117 in the pointer and adapted to be selectively received by any apertures 118 in the dial plate 7 2, the apertures being arranged at the indications 74 on the said dial plate, as clearly appears in Figs. 2 and 9 of the drawings. For stopping movement of the conveyor, the switch plate 84 is locked in stationary position by forcing the pin 116 and the operating button 115 into a selected one of the apertures 118 ofthe dial plate. When the switch plate 84 is so locked in position, the switch plate 75 continues its rotation until the brushes 91 and'92 thereof move out of engagement of a plurality of i with the arcuate segments 99 and 100, the disengagement effecting the breaking of the circuit to the motor and the stopping of the apparatus. It will be noted that when the plate 84 is locked, the-plate 75 may continue its motion, the pin 108 thereof riding over and passing the cam piece 110. For locking the switch plate 84 in position, the handle and pointer 73 may be manually rotated by the operator either when the con veyor is stationary or moving, and the button inserted in any of the apertures 118, the relative rotatability of the switch plate mitting'of this manual operation and selection of the point at which the conveyor is to be stopped.

By the provision of my control means D, therefore, the conveyor may be started in a 84 with respect to the switch plate 75 per- 7 simple mannerby correct assortment or arrangement of a garment the garment hangers actuating the handle and pointer 73, the conveyor may be permitted to 0 rate continuously, so that a complete disp ay of garmentsmay be had, and the conveyor may :be stopped whenever desired by simple manipulation of the pointer 73, the said pointer moreover functioning to indicate the positions of the rods on the conveyor so that. the purchaser may be'advised as to the size, quality or style displayed, a unitary element be' g thus provided for efi'ecting all these res ts.

In order to obtain eflicient store service where a sales force is eliminated or largely reduced, the customer after handling a garment is obliged to return the sameto the rod from which it was removed, so that the ments may be retained for continued efficlent service. To prevent confusion and to enforce correct replacement of garments, my present invention complemental key means on the supporting s and garment hangers constructed so that a given garment hanger carrying a glven size suit is only replaceable on and receivable by a given rod. To these ends, referring to Figs. 1 to 8 of th each rod 19 is provided with a plurality of spaced key ways or sockets, succeeding rods being provided with keyways or sockets of a difierent character or configuration. Thus in Fig. 3 the rod 19 is provided with the keyways or sockets 119 of a given configuration, as for example a diamond configuration, and cooperating with these keyways the angers 120 associated 19 are provided with key means-such as 121 of a similar configuration, so that when a correct garment hanger 120 is slidably moved along the rod 19 the key or plug 121 will be received by the keyway or socket 119, the rod thus selectively garments belonging thereto. The succeeding rods, such as rod 19 in Fig. 7, are provi ed with keyways such as 122 of a distinct configuration, the garment hangers associgarment supporting rod 19,

handled for inspection or purchase. y garment and the awd with this rod being therewith. In Fig. 6 I show for purposes (I); exemphficatlon a garment supporting rod provided with a plurality of keyways having different configurationssuch as key: ways 123, 124, and 125, this to show the to manner of distinguishin that the rods will selective ment hangers in the correct order of replacement. With this construction, the prospect1ve purchaser or customer is constrained to he garments in their correct groupthe keyways so ing so that the continued efliciency of the sales and display apparatus ma be had. eferring to Fig. 8 of the awmgs, I

l26 -along which t e configuration for includes the provision of e drawings,

with the rod receivlng the proper.

y receive the garshow a modification of the cooperative key means on a garment supporting rod and the garment hangers, in which the rods such as 19 are shaped to plugs or keys 127 forming part of the garment hangers 128 may be slid, the said rod 19 being suitably orificed or provided with keyways 129 of" proper receiving the plugs 127, properly belonging thereto.

e manner of using and operating the display and sales apparatus will in the main be apparent from the above detailed description thereof. be selected from the full stock carried by the conveyor, the control mechanism D is operated by moving the pointer and handle 73 to the right, this efi'ecting contact engagement between the switch elements on the switch plates 75 and 84, and effecting the closing of the circuit to the driving motor 57. Operation of the motor rotates the switch plate 75 until the pin 108 on the latter engages the cam piece 110 on the switch plate 84, further rotation of the switch plate 7 5 carrying with it the plate 84 and effecting the movement of the indicating pointer 73 over the dial plate 72. The conveyor may be continued in its operation for producing a full display of the garments until a desired selection is made. For stopping the conveyor with a selected line of garments at the display opening 16, the handle and pointer 73 is manually rotated for effecting rotation of the switch plate 84 with respect to the switch plate 75, the pin 108 riding over thecam pieces 110 and 111 whenever the switch plate 84 is positively moved with respect to the moving or stationa switch plate 75, and the pointer 73 is locked in position adjacent any of the size indications 74. The switch plate 75 continues its operation until the brushes thereof leave the arcuate segments 99 and 100 of the now stationary switch plate 84, the circuit being broken, and the motor 57 stopped. The selected garment is then removed from the and may be garment hanger 120 must then be replaced on the same rod from which it was removed, the cooperative key means onthe'garment hangers and the garment supporting rods preventing improper replacement and constraining the'customer replace the garments properly. While I .have shown my device in the preferred form, it will be obvious that many changes and modifications may be made in the structure disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention, defined' in the following claims.

I claim: I p

1. A display or sales apparatus comprising ahousmg, a conveyer arranged within vide a guiding channel en a garment is desired to llO The

the said housing, a plurality of supporting elements carried by the said conveyer and spacedly arranged thereon, the said elements being adapted for receiving supporting means for articles of merchandise, means for moving the said conveyer with the articles" of merchandise moving past a display or sales Window and provisions for automatically stopping the conveyer with a selected supporting element opposite said window, including movable members, one moved by the conveyor, and the other normally moving with the first, the stopping of the conveyor controlled by relative movement of the members, and selective stop mechanism for checking the movement of the second member with any selected supporting element at the window.

2. A display or sales apparatus for clothing or the like comprising a conveyer, a plurality of spaced elements carried thereby for supporting rows of garments or the like, means for moving said conveyer with the garment rows moving past a display or sales station and provisions for automatically stopping the conveyer with a selected row of garments opposite said station, including rotary members one driven by the conveyor and the other normally moving with the first, the stopping of the conveyor controlled by relative angular movement of the members, and selective stop mechanism for checking the movement of the second member with any selected row of garments at said station, including a dial having indications corresponding to the rows of garments, and an indicator connected with the second member and cooperating with the dial. 1

3. A display or sales apparatus for clothing or the like comprising an endless conveyer having a given cycle of movement,

a plurality of spaced elements carried thereby for supporting rows of garments or the like, means for moving said conveyer with the garment rows moving past a display or sales station and provisions for automatically stopping the conveyer with a selected row of garments opposite said station; said Y provisions comprising 'a movable member having a cycle of movement equal to the cycle of movement of the conveyer and movable in synchronism therewith and a manuall operable second movable member normal y moving with and movable relatively to the' first member, the stopping of the conveyor controlled by relative movement of the members, and means for stopping said second member after selected periods of movement; 7

4. A display or sales apparatus for clothing or the like comprising an endless conveyer and a plurality of spaced elements ments or the like, means for moving said conveyer w1th the garment rows movmg past a display or sales station and provisions for starting and automatically stopping the a said conveyer with a selected row of garments opposite the said station, the said provisions comprising a member movable in synchronism with the conveyer and a second member normally moving with and manually movable relatively to the first member and adapted to be fixed with respect thereto whereby to cause relative movement of the members and means whereby said relative movement will stop the conveyor.

5. A display or sales apparatus for clothing or the like comprising spaced sets of sprocket wheels, two endlessconveyer chains one for each set of sprocket wheels, carrier bars spacedly mounted on said chains and adapted for supporting rows of garments, 4;

means for moving said conveyer chains with the garment rows moving past a display or sales station and provisions for automatically stopping the conveyer chains with a selected row of garments opposite said station, said provisions comprising a rotatable member and means for rotating the same connected to one of the said sprocket wheels, and a manually controlled member normally moving with and movable relatively to said rotatable switch member, the stopping of the conveyor caused by said relative movement. D

6. In a device of the class described, an endless conveyor, a series of hanger rods rotatably connected to the conveyor, and a. set of hangers for each rod detachably connected therewith, each rod and the set of hangers pertaining thereto having interengagmg means to connect the hangers to the rod and to hold the rod in a selected angular position during the movement of the conveyor.

7 In a device of the class described, an

endless conveyor, a series of hanger rods rotatably connected to the conveyor, and a set of hangers for each rod detachably connected therewith, each rod and the set of with complemental key means in the gar- ,ment supporting devices of the set. carried thereby for supporting rows of gar- 9. A display or sales apparatus for clothing or the like comprising an endless conveyer, a plurality of spaced elements carclothing or the like ried thereby a set of garment suplporting devices for each element, each of t e said elements being provided with a key means for each device adapted for selective registration with complemental key means in the arment supporting devices of the set, the ey means of successive elements on the conveyer having different characteristics whereby each element is adapted to discard improperly placed devices and to receive only devices of a given character ofkey means. H 10. A display or sales apparatus for clothing or the like comprising a conveyer including spaced endless chains, supporting bars carried thereby for receiving garment hangers, a set of hangers for each bar, each of the said bars being provided with a key way for each hanger adapted for selective registration with a complemental key means in the hanger whereby misplacement of hangers on the bars is prevented.

11. .A display or sales apparatus for comprising an endlex .conveyer including spaced endless. chains and spacedly arranged supporting bars carried thereby for free rotation therein, a set of garment hangers for each bar, the hangers of each set hav'ing key means, each bar being provided with su plemental key means of a predetermined character and peculiar to the key means of the, hanger set pertaining to the bar.

In a cabinet, in combination, a conveyer provided with spaced supporting elements for receiving rows'of merchandise, each row of merchandise having a distinguishing character, means for carrying the merchandise removably received by the said elements and provisions for preventing improper replacement of the merchandise carrying means on the said supporting elements, the said provisions including complemental selective key means on the said elements and the said supporting carrying means will' be received only y a given supporting means, said key means of the elements spaced at regular intervals to properly space the supporting means, and said supporting means independently detachable from the elements.

13. In a device of the class described, a series of supporting elements for merchandise, means to move the supports in succession over a continuous path past a selected display station, selective mechanism to control the operation of the moving means, including means to identify the supports as they pass the display station.

14. In a device of the class described, a series of supporting elements for merchandise, means to move the supports in succession over a continuous path past a selected display station, selective mechanism to control the operation of the moving means, in-

means whereby a 'ven t continuous succession, or to stop.

move the supports in sucession over a con- 7 tinuous path past a display station, selective mechanism controlling the operation of the moving means to moved in a continuous succession past the display station or to stop, the moving means with any selected support in display position, ports as they pass the display station.

17 In a device of the class described, a series of supports for merchandise, means to move the supports over a continuous path past a display station, and means to control the moving means for the supports, including a plurality of rotatable members, one drlven by the support-moving means, and the other normally moving with the first means to cause the supports to move in a continuous succession past the display station, and shiftable with respect thereto, and

means controlled by the relative movement of the members through a selected angle from a selected relative position to stop the moving means with a selected support at the display station.

18. In a device of the class described, a series of supports for merchandise, means to move the supports over a continuous path past a display station, and'means to control he moving means for the supports, including a plurality of rotatable members, one driven by the support-moving means, and the other normally .moving with the first means to cause the supports to move in a continuous succession past the display sta-v tion, and shiftable with respect thereto, and

means controlled by the relative movementof the members through a selected angle from a selected relative position to stop the moving means with aselected support at the display station, including means to identify each support as it reaches the display station.

19. A display or sales apparatus comprising a conveyor, a plurality of spaced elements thereon for carrying articles of merchandise with each element carrying merchandise of" a distinguishing character, means for movin said conveyor with the articles of merchandise moving past a discause the supports to be play or sales station, and unitary provisions for indicating the character of merchandise moving past the display station and manually settable for automatically stopping the conveyor with a selected character of merchandise at the said station.

. moving past the display station, the said means being adapted to be manually set for effecting the selective stopping of the conveyor with a selected character of merchandise at the said station.

21. A display or sales apparatus comprising a conveyor, a plurality of spaced elements thereon for carrying articles of merchandise with each element carrying merchandise of a distinguishing character, means for moving said conveyor with the articles of merchandise moving past a display or sales station, provisions for indicating the position of the said elements with respect to the said station and for automatically stopping movement of the conveyor with a selected element positioned at the said station, said provisions comprising a switch member having a cycle of movement equal to the cycle of movement of the conveyor and movable in synchronism therewith, and a manually operable second switch member movable-relative to the fiist switch member and adapted to be set to eflect the selective stopping of the conveyor and movable with the said first switch member for indicating the position of the conveyor.

22. In a display or sales apparatus, a conveyor, a plurality of merchandise supporting elements spacedly carried thereby, means for moving the said conveyor with the said elements moving past a display or sales station, provisions for indicating the position of each element with respect to the said station, and manually settable mechanism for eflecting the stopping of the conveyor with a selected element positioned at the said station.

. Signed at New York city, in, the county of New York and State of New York, this 6th day of June A. D. 1922.

MATTHEW BERNHEIM. 

